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opy i t fr or ffo Better 
Education 
of Youth!' 



State of Maine 

Educational 

Department. 



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Copies of this pamphlet will be sent on application to W. W. Stetson, 
State Superintendent of Public Schools. 
Augusta, Maine. 



SEP 31 ,07 
D. ofD. 



• * » 

• • 4 






"FOR THE BETTER EDUCATION OF YOUTH. 5 



The policy adopted by Maine in granting aid to secondary 
schools is peculiarly gratifying to those who are interested in the 
higher education of our people. While the legislature, at its 
winter session, passed several important laws relating to schools, 
yet the most significant is the one which gives aid to towns hav- 
ing no high school of standard grade and which pay the tuition 
of resident pupils who attend schools approved by the State 
superintendent of public schools. 

Chapter Sixty-eight of the Public Laws of 1903, now Sect. 63 
and Sect. 64 of Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, provides that: 

Section i. Any youth who resides with parent or guardian 
in any town which does not support and maintain a free high 
school giving at least one four years' course properly equipped 
and teaching such subjects as are taught in secondary schools of 
standard grade in this State may, when he shall be prepared to 
pursue such four years'' course, attend any school in this State 
which does have such a. four years' course and to which he may 
gain entrance by permission of those having charge thereof, 
provided said youth shall attend a school or schools of standard 
grade which are approved by the State superintendent of public 
schools. In such case, the tuition of such youth, not to exceed 
thirty dollars annually for any one youth, shall be paid by the 
town in which he resides as aforesaid and towns are hereby auth- 
orized and required to raise annually as other school moneys are 
raised, a sum sufficient to pay such tuition charges. 

Section 2. When any town shall have been required to pay 
and has paid tuition as aforesaid, the superintending school com- 
mittee of such town shall make a return under oath to the State 
superintendent of public schools stating the name of each youth 
for whom tuition has been paid, the amount paid for each, and 
the name and location of the school which each has attended and 
thereupon shall be paid, annually in the month of December, 



from the State treasury out of the appropriation for the support 
of free high schools, to each town paying tuition and making 
return as aforesaid, a sum equal to one-half of the amount thus 
paid by such town not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars. 

If this law is administered according to its intent and in har- 
mony with other sections of the statutes relating to schools, it 
will be of great financial advantage to the smaller towns, as it 
provides advanced instruction without subjecting these towns to 
the expense of maintaining a free high school. 

It is the earnest desire of the State superintendent that Maine 
shall make an enviable record in the number of students enrolled 
in its secondary schools. We are all proud of the fact that the 
State and the towns have assumed the responsibility of providing 
free instruction in secondary studies for all students who are pre- 
pared to attend schools of this grade. 

This law does not contemplate crippling the common schools 
by admitting pupils to secondary schools before they have com- 
pleted the studies prescribed for the common schools. Neither 
is it the intention of the. law to burden the towns with the pay- 
ment of the tuition of common school pupils in secondary schools. 
See Section 59, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, and Section 62, lines 4 
and 5. 

Some one must have authority to decide what pupils have 
completed the common school course of study and are therefore 
entitled to the aid provided in Sects. 63 and 64 of Chap. 15, of R. 
S. of 1903. This power is vested in the school officials of the 
towns. Sec. 74, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, lines 5-8, Sec. 34, Sec. 35, 
par. 1, 2 and 9, and Sec. 76, lines 1-8. 

These officials are required by law to make such returns to the 
State superintendent as he may desire and direct and, to do this 
properly, they must follow the directions given by the State 
Educational Department. See Sect. 37, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, 
last sentence. 

Principals of secondary schools, receiving State aid, must 
also make returns as required by the Department. See Sec. 82, 
Chap. 15, R. S. 1903. 

All funds raised by taxation to pay tuition in secondary 
schools and all aid received from the State for their support must 
be expended for the purposes for which they are appropriated. 
This statute has a heavy penalty attached to it. See Sect. 56, 
last 9 lines ; Sect. 65, last 6 lines. 



Minimum courses of study have been prepared for the con- 
mon and secondary schools of the State as provided by the 
statutes. These courses must be used in the schools for which 
they are prepared. See Sect, ioo, par. 7, and Sect. 59, par. 1, 
lines 1 to 6. 

Common school funds must not be used to pay tuition in 
secondary schools. See Sect. 13, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, last five 
lines. 

Funds appropriated for the support of secondary schools 
must not be used to pay for instruction in common school 
studies. See Sect. 59, lines 1-6, Sect. j6, lines 9-10. 

In brief, Sections 63 and 64, Chap. 15, R. S., and other sections 
referred to above, provide that pupils must do the work pre- 
scribed in the common school course of study in the common 
schools, and that the towns are not required to pay for instruc- 
tion in these studies in schools not established or controlled by 
the towns in which pupils reside. 

It is equally clear that all pupils who are qualified to pursue 
a high school course are entitled to free tuition in secondary 
schools of standard grade. 

All good citizens will aid in protecting the towns from unjust 
demands on their treasuries and will oppose all attempts to 
deplete the common schools or degrade the standard of the sec- 
ondary schools. 

EXTRACTS FROM THE) REVISED STATUTES. 

The following extracts from the statutes have been compiled 
for the benefit of those who are interested in the "better educa- 
tion of youth." 

Section 59, Chap. 15, of the Revised Statutes (revision of 
1903) in speaking of secondary schools, has the following: 
"The Superintendent or superintending school committee hav- 
ing supervision thereof shall make such examination of candi- 
dates for admission to said schools as they consider necessary." 

Section 62, Chap. 15, in giving the conditions upon which 
students may be admitted to academies, says that pupils shall be 
admitted to these schools "under a standard of scholarship to be 
established by such committee." 

Section 74, in speaking of secondary schools established by 
funds given by the trustees of academies, says, "the superintend- 



ing school committee in said municipality shall determine the 
qualifications necessary to entitle any applicant to enter or attend 
said free high school and no one shall attend it without a certi- 
cate of said officers to that effect." 

Section 34, Chap. 15, states that, "The management of the 
schools ****** s hall devolve upon the superintending 
school committee" and Sect. 35, paragraph 2, says that said com- 
mittee shall "direct the general course of instruction." Para- 
graph 9 says the school committee shall "determine what descrip- 
tion of scholars shall attend each school, classify them and 
transfer them from school to school, etc." 

Section 37, Chap. 15, states that "the town superintendent shall 
also furnish such other information relating to the public schools 
as the said State superintendent shall at any time require of 
him." 

Section 100, paragraph 1, prescribes that the State superin- 
tendent "shall advise and direct the town committees in the dis- 
charge of their duties." In paragraph 7, Sect. 100, it says, "he 
shall prescribe the studies to be taught in the common schools." 

Section 82, Chap. 15, provides that "Every educational 
institution receiving State aid shall report to the State super- 
intendent of public schools and answer such questions as 
the State superintendent shall require." Further, "Every 
educational institution failing to comply with the above require- 
ments shall forfeit whatever aid or assistance it would otherwise 
receive from the State." 

Section j6, Chap. 15, provides that "whenever it shall be made 
to appear to the Governor and Council ***** 
that the pupils attending the said academy, seminary or insti- 
tute are qualified to receive such instruction, ****** such 
academy shall be entitled to receive annually from the State," 
etc. 

Section 82, Chap. 15, provides that "the officers and teachers 
of every academy receiving money from the State * * * 
****** sh^i ****** ma ke S uch further report to the 
State superintendent of public schools as he may from time to 
time require." 

Section 65, Chap. 15, in speaking of secondary schools, says 
that, "any teacher, agent, or superintendent, who in any way 
aids or abets in defrauding the State into the payment, in 



support of said schools, of more than is contemplated by this 
chapter, shall forfeit not less than $500 or be imprisoned in the 
county jail not less than one year/' 

The following conclusions seem to be justified by the quota- 
tions given above : 

First. The intent of the law is to aid pupils who wish to pur- 
sue secondary school studies and who reside in towns in which no 
school of this grade is maintained. 

Second. This aid is intended to be given to those alone who 
desire and are fitted to enter a four years' course in a secondary 
school of standard grade. 

Third. The school officers of each town are clothed with 
power to judge of the fitness of each pupil applying for aid unaer 
the provisions of Sections 63 and 64, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, and 
these officers are by law required to make sworn return to the 
State superintendent of public schools, giving the facts in the 
case of each pupil whose tuition has been paid by the town under 
the terms of the statute before mentioned. 

Fourth. No youth can claim the benefit of this law unless he 
holds a certificate from the superintending school committee of 
the town where he resides, setting forth his fitness to enter a 
four years' course in a secondary school of standard grade. 

Fifth. No town can receive aid from the State under the 
provisions of Sections 63 and 64, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, unless 
each pupil, for whose tuition aid from the State is asked, 
is provided with a certificate from the principal of the 
school he has attended, stating that he was regularly received 
into said school upon a certificate from the school officials of 
the town of his residence and that his tuition for the time 
claimed has been paid by the town and unless the above 
facts are reported to the State superintendent of public schools 
in a return made under oath by the superintending school com- 
mittee of said town. 



As an appropriate appendix to the foregoing, the cir- 
culars and blanks issued by the Educational Department, on 
this matter, are here added. 



8 



CIRCULAR LETTER 

To School Committees of Towns and Principals of Secondary 

Schools. 

Sections 63 and 64, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, make it necessary for 
every applicant for admission to a secondary school to present to 
the principal a certificate from the school officials of the town in 
which he (or she) resides, stating that the applicant has passed 
the required examinations and is fitted to enter a secondary 
school of standard grade. 

It is also necessary that the principal of every school, receiving 
pupils under this act, shall certify that the pupil has complied 
with the provisions of the law and that his tuition has been paid 
by the town. 

Pupils who hold certificates, or diplomas, stating they have 
completed the course of study in grammar schools of standard 
grade and pupils who have maintained satisfactory standing for 
at least one year in secondary schools which have been approved 
by the State Superintendent, should be granted certificates of 
admission to these schools without examination. 

The superintending school committee are required to make a 
return to the State superintendent of public schools certifying, 
under oath, the names of pupils whose tuition has been paid by 
the town, the name of the school each pupil has attended and the 
amount of tuition paid by the town. 

No town can receive aid from the State, under the provisions 
of Sections 63 and 64, Chap. 15, R. S. 1903, unless all the con- 
ditions of the Act have been complied with and the several cer- 
ticates have been properly made out and signed. 

The required blanks will be furnished by the State superin- 
tendent upon application by the parties interested. 



CIRCULAR LETTER. 
To the Principal: 

The law entitled "An Act for the Better Education of Youth," 
passed by the legislature of 1903, was designed to aid pupils 
residing in towns in which no high school is maintained. 

Under this Act pupils are not entitled to have their tuition paid 
by the towns in which they reside until they have passed final and 
satisfactory examinations in common school studies, declared 
their intention of pursuing one of the courses in an approved 
secondary school and received a certificate signed by the school 
officers of the town in which they reside, stating these several 
facts. 

Pupils who hold certificates, or diplomas, stating they have 
completed the course of study in grammar schools of standard 
grade and pupils who have maintained satisfactory standing for 
at least one year in secondary schools which have been approved 
by the State superintendent, should be granted certificates of 
admission to these schools without examination. 

The State superintendent of public schools has authority to 
decide whether any town is complying with the requirements of 
the free high school law and whether, or not, any given school is 
of standard grade. 

It is suggested, that before any effort is made to solicit stu- 
dents in towns to which this law may be thought to apply, the 
solicitor first consult the school and municipal officers of the town 
and secure, if possible, their approval and co-operation. 

It is also suggested that it will be unwise to solicit students in 
the territory lying within the acknowledged jurisdiction of the 
smaller secondary schools. 

You are in a position to appreciate the importance of having 
the law so administered as not to be offensive to citizens of the 
smaller towns. 

You will realize that it would be unfortunate if the number of 
students enrolled from any town should prove to be large enough 
to make the payment of tuition fees burdensome to the taxpayers. 

Cordial co-operation will assist in making this law acceptable 
to the people and beneficial to their children. 



IO 



CERTIFICATE OF S. S. COMMITTEE. 

This is to certify that M of the 

town of has passed satisfactory final exami- 
nations in' all the common school studies and is entitled, by- 
scholarship, to enter a secondary school of standard grade and 
has declared h . . . . intention of pursuing one of the four years' 
courses in 

) Superintending 

r School Committee 

) of 



Superintendent of Schools. 

CERTIFICATE OF PRINCIPAL. 

Me 19. ... 

This is to certify that M of 

has presented to me a certificate from the school officers of the 
town of stating that .... he has passed satis- 
factory final examinations in all the common school branches and 
is entitled, by scholarship, to enter a secondary school of standard 
grade. 

The pupil above named has entered a class pursuing a four 

years' course of study and h. . . .tuition amounting to $ 

has been paid to the treasurer of this institution by the town 
of..' 



Principal of 
ME.... 



19 



RETURN OF S. S. COMMITTEE. 
Return of Superintending School Committee in regard to tui- 
tion of secondary school pupils paid by the town, under pro- 
visions of Chap. 68, Public Laws of 1903. 



Name of Town 


Name of pupil 


Amount paid 


Name of school attended 













II 



We the undersigned, Superintending School Committee of the 

town of do hereby certify, under oath, 

that the above statements are true and correct, according to our 
best knowledge and belief ; that this town does not support a free 
high school giving at least one four years' course in subjects 
taught in secondary schools of standard grade in this State; that 
every pupil whose name is recorded above passed satisfactory 
final examinations in all the common school studies and is 
entitled to enter a secondary school of standard grade and each 
declared his (or her) intention of pursuing one of the courses in 
the school entered opposite his (or her) name in the above 
return. 

"> Superintending 

> School 

) Committee. 

ss-, 19 

The above parties 

personally appeared before me and made oath that the foregoing 
statement by them subscribed is true and correct. 

Justice of the Peace. 

CIRCULAR LETTER 

To the Principal: — 

The Revised Statutes provide that the Courses of Study 
prescribed for secondary schools shall receive the approval of the 
State educational department before said institutions shall be 
entitled to State aid or before they may collect tuition from 
towns for the schooling of pupils who attend these schools. 

For the purpose of allowing each school to arrange the details 
of its work as best suits its convenience, the following minimum 
outline of the several courses has been prepared : 

ENGLISH COURSE. 

English, four years. 

Algebra, one year and one term. 

Geometrv, ° ne y ear an d two terms. 

History, (not including U. S. His.). two years. 
Science, four years. 



12 

Civics, one-half year. 

Psychology, one-half year. 

Review Arithmetic, Geography, United States History and 
English Grammar during the senior year. 

COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSE. 

(All Subjects Required.) 

College Entrance English counts 4 points 

Latin counts 8 points 

Greek counts 6 points 

Algebra counts 4 points 

Plane Geometry counts 2 points 

Roman History counts 1 point 

Greek History counts 1 point 

FOR THE B. Ph. COURSE. 

Required Subjects. 

College Entrance English counts 4 points 

Latin counts 8 points 

Algebra counts 4 points 

Plane Geometry , counts 2 points 

Roman History counts 1 point 

Optional Subjects (7 points, to be chosen) 
(If Greek is not taken, French or German must be; if Greek 
is taken, Greek History must ' be taken also. Not less than 
4 points of any modern language will be accepted. ) 

Greek counts 6 points 

Each year of French counts 2 points 

Each year in German counts 2 points 

Chemistry counts 2 points 

Physics counts 2 points 

Solid Geometry counts 1 point 

English History counts 1 point 

American History and Civil Government counts 1 point 



13 



FOR THE B. S. COURSE). 

Required Subjects. 

College Entrance English counts 4 points 

Algebra counts 4 points 

Plane Geometry counts 2 points 

Solid Geometry counts 1 point 

Optional Subjects (15 points, to be chosen) 

(Of these, two years of one modern language, one year of 
science, and one year of history must be taken. Not less than 4 
points of any modern language will be accepted.) 

Each year in French counts 2 points 

Each year in German counts 2 points 

Each year in Latin counts 2 points 

Each year in Greek counts 2 points 

Advanced Mathematics (higher Algebra and 

Plane and Spherical Trigonometry) counts 2 points 

Chemistry counts 2 points 

Physics counts 2 points 

Physiography counts 1 point 

Physiology counts 1 point 

Roman History counts 1 point 

Greek History counts 1 point 

English History • counts 1 point 

American History and Civil Government counts 1 point 

teachers' training course. 

First and second years same as approved English Course. 

Third year : History, English Literature 3, Theory and Prac- 
tice of Teaching, School Management, School Government, 
School Organization, History of Education. Science, one-half 
year. Psychology,, one-half year. 

Fourth year, first term : Review thoroughly Arithmetic and 
Geography. Geometry 4, and Science. Observation Work in 
the common school grades. 

Second term: Review United States History and English 
Grammar. Civics and Geometry 4. Read and report on one 



14 

standard work on Pedagogy, exclusive of books studied during 
third year. Practice Teaching Work for full term. 

Third term : Geometry 4, School Law and Civics, one-half 
term each. Read and report on one standard work on 
Psychology, exclusive of books studied during third year. 
Model Work for full term. 

The figures at the right of each subject indicate the number of 
recitations which should be provided for in each subject during 
each week. 

Instruction in composition should be made a part of the work 
in rhetoric, grammar and literature. 

There should be one recitation in spelling each week through- 
out the Course. Arrangements should be made for rhetoricals 
each week and the classes should be divided into four divisions, 
so that each pupil will. have a part in the exercises once each 
month. 

Roman History, Latin Prose Composition and Ancient Geo- 
graphy should be taught in connection with the regular work in 
Latin during the third year. Greek History and Prose Compo- 
sition and Ancient Geography should be taught in connection 
with the regular work in Greek during the fourth year. 

It is suggested that in schools having a limited corps of 
instructors the classes in the several courses take their work in 
English together, those in the English Course taking special 
work for two days in each week. The same suggestion is made 
in reference to the subj ects of Geometry, Algebra, Science, etc. 

The "Observation Work" in the first term of the fourth year of 
the Teachers' Training Course should be done under the direc- 
tion of an expert and a detailed report of the work observed 
should be made by the student to the training teacher. 

The "Practice Work" in the second term should be so arranged 
that each member of the class will have charge of the different 
recitations of his classmates for the full term. The training 
teacher should give needed instruction in methods before and 
after the work is done by the student. 

In the "Model Work" each student must take full charge of a 
class in the common schools. Criticisms of the work should be 
made by the training teacher on the preparation made by the 
pupil teacher, the methods used, the discipline maintained and 
the results secured. 



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